TIME FESTIVAL BROUGHT THE HEAT

Last Saturday was another gorgeous summer day in the city as festivalites made their way to Toronto’s TIME Festival. Fort York’s historic site provided the backdrop for three stages, thousands of revelers and various styles of music.

Chrome Sparks lit up the OverTIME stage, featuring electronic acts, with their experimental sound, live drum and electronic audio setup. Over on the Main Stage, English band Everything Everything gave late-afternoon listeners a good dose of their catchy, indie sound. It was a laid-back, leisurely vibe overall with friends hanging out underneath trees, sitting, walking, wandering, catching up, watching the acts, dancing - a very chill, picnic situation. Myriad food vendors dotted the site, along with clothing/jewelry booths, massage area, henna, braiding and face-painting stands. A perfect way to spend a summer day with your friends, especially at that price point, surrounded by diverse performances.

Midway through the afternoon at the OverTIME Stage, Jacques Greene started his set with a chill, deeper house groove and took people on a multi-faceted sound journey, even dropping Drake’s ‘Running Through the 6..’ Jonas Rathsman moved in with a percussive, tribal deep house start and also continued with a varied house set to take us into the early evening.

Back on the Main Stage, Joey Bada$$delivered. It was a high-octane, fierce set powered by his dynamic personality, undeniable talent and gift for interacting with the crowd. The day was becoming an engaging exploration of the various sounds and stages of the festival’s curated lineup. TOKiMONSTA’s set was both tight and varied, dropping Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “I Like It Raw” amidst her signature trap and other electronic musings.

On the Main, Kehlani brought her R&B ballad vibes, like a mix of talent and melancholy with some serious spice, while back at the OverTIME stage, KiNK created a fine live set. He showed the crowd the tools of his trade as he played various synths and sound machines, and carved out a nicely coherent set that the audience loved.

As the sun dipped, electronic pop duo, Broods’ entertained the ever-growing crowd with their light vibe and upbeat flair.

Into the night, Bob Moses set the scene at the beginning of their show, taking their time with a mesmerizing build-up - like they were there to say something musically. It felt very focused and like there was a thoughtful intentionality to what they were about to play and share. After a day of such a mix of genres and differing styles, it was the focus behind their music that I loved about their performance. They delivered to a thankful crowd with their luxurious interplay of live instruments and electronic artistry.

Run The Jewels (Killer Mike and El-P) brought power and political edge to their Main Stage show to close the night. With Toronto’s cityscape as a backdrop, their energy was lively, badass, real, pointed and had an activist message that went beyond simply offering an entertaining show. The crowd responded passionately to the two rappers who brought their mostly intense, yet at times light-hearted, power to the performance.

Overall the day was easy-going and casual with varying degrees of intensity depending on the artist; an eclectic, interesting and riveting mix of performances and genres. It was a fun place to be, offering impressive experiences, musical diversity and relaxed charm - an excellent contribution to the city’s summer-scape of festivals and events!